Biden cancels events after mother-in-law dies

Bonny Jean Jacobs, the mother of Biden's wife, Jill, died Sunday after illness

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updated 6:00 p.m. ET Oct. 5, 2008

WASHINGTON - Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden has canceled his campaign appearances Monday and Tuesday after the death of his mother-in-law Sunday.

Biden spokesman David Wade said Bonny Jean Jacobs, the mother of Biden's wife, Jill, died Sunday after a long illness.

Jacobs was 78 and lived in Willow Grove, Pa. Wade described her as a "homemaker and avid gardener with a lifelong love of reading."

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"We appreciate everyone's respect for the family's privacy during this difficult time," Wade said.